Saturday 13 October 2007

Another celebratory story

Britain's civil partnership law, which came into effect in December 2005, has, in its first year of operation, enabled more than 16,000 gay & lesbian couples to effectively marry.

That's more than 16,000 couples who have pledged their love and commitment to each other - couples who, prior to the legislation's introduction, were legally regarded as second-class citizens.

One day, hopefully, Australia will join the ranks of enlightened countries.

Marriage on the increase!

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has some interesting data about marriages in Australia during 2006 - marriage is on the up and up!

"In 2006, there were 114,222 registered marriages, an increase of 4,899 (4.5%) from 2005. This is the highest number of registrations since 1999 ... In 2006, marriages performed by civil celebrants again outnumbered marriages performed by ministers of religion. ... By 2006, this proportion had increased to 61.3%" (of all marriages)

There's also data about the age at which couples are marrying, where they were born and whether they cohabited prior to marriage. Interesting stuff.

Wednesday 10 October 2007

University-trained celebrants

Update: 19-Aug-2012

Unfortunately, the Grad. Dip in Civil Ceremonies course is no longer offered at Monash University. However, Monash-trained Marriage & General Celebrants are still available to assist you with your ceremony. See below for a link to the CCGA website.

Did you know that Monash University trains Civil Celebrants? There is a large number of providers offering training for Civil Celebrants but Monash University actually offers a Graduate Diploma in Civil Ceremonies. At the end of this course, Monash Celebrants graduate with a well-rounded understanding of the place of ritual and ceremony in today's society.

According to Monash's website, "Students acquire an understanding of the history and cultural variety of rites of passage as practised in the Australian community. They learn to use music and literature creatively in ceremony, to identify the emotional, legal and ethical aspects of rites of passage, and to develop the skill to respond sensitively to the needs of their clients. In summary, the curriculum prepares graduates to practise as professional, confident and successful celebrants."

As a Monash graduate, I can vouch for the quality of training provided! If you're interested in locating a Monash graduate to celebrate your special occasion, visit the Civil Celebrants Graduate Association (Monash) and you'll find a fantastic array of Celebrants to choose from.

Tuesday 9 October 2007

1000 Civil Unions – milestone achieved in NZ

A celebratory story from New Zealand - 1000 Civil Unions have been registered in that country since the introduction of the Civil Union Act on 26th April 2005.

Saturday 29 September 2007

Changing your name

If you are going to change your name on getting married, you may find it helpful to use a 'Change of Name' kit.

Such kits usually include all the official forms you might need, and step by step instructions, for changing your drivers licence, registration, passport, bank accounts, electoral enrolment, Medicare, private health funds, superannuation, insurance policies, memberships, store accounts, and more!

I've just done a quick search on Google and come up with a couple of sites that may be useful - Name Change KitsSmart Bride Name Change Kit

There are heaps more similar sites out there for you to choose from - just be careful that you select a kit that applies to the country/state you live in.

Wednesday 26 September 2007

906 new Marriage Celebrants appointed to date!

A quick search of the A-G's Register of Marriage Celebrants shows that 906 Marriage Celebrants have been appointed so far this year (2007).

That's a lot of newly-appointed Celebrants for wedding couples to choose from ... think of the creative potential, the enthusiasm, passion and excitement that is likely present in this collection of newly-appointed Marriage Celebrants.

These Marriage Celebrants, together with the thousands of previously authorised Celebrants, give wedding couples a huge scope for choice. There's sure to be a Celebrant who is just the right person for you - seek and you shall find!

Thursday 20 September 2007

Your Marriage Certificate

Just over two years ago the Attorney-General released a new marriage certificate - the Form 15 marriage certificate - that has increased security features, including special inks and a unique number. Read about the certificate here.

You can see a sample copy of the certificate here.

Info from the A-G's website:
"When you get married, your marriage celebrant prepares three certificates of marriage.
All three certificates contain the details of your marriage and you and your witnesses will be required to sign all three certificates. They are:
  • the certificate retained by the marriage celebrant for their records;
  • the certificate that will be forwarded to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the registration of your marriage; and
  • the certificate that you will be given as your record of the marriage."
Remember that the certificate you receive is evidence of your change in marital status. it is not a proof of identity document and, in some cases, will not be accepted as such.

Wednesday 19 September 2007

Notice of Intended Marriage

Part of the legal requirements of getting married include completing the Notice of Intended Marriage.

You need to give this completed form to the Marriage Celebrant who will conduct your marriage. You need to do this within 18 months of your proposed marriage and no later than one month prior to the ceremony.

Your Marriage Celebrant will likely have a copy of this form to give you, but you can also follow the link above to download a pdf copy from the website of the Attorney-General.

Tuesday 18 September 2007

Marriage Celebrants' Code of Practice

Did you know that Marriage Celebrants have a recognised Code of Practice under which they operate?

This Code outlines the expected behaviour, community standing and appropriate practice of the Marriage Celebrant in relation to conducting your Marriage Ceremony.

Your Marriage Celebrant will give you a copy of the Code of Practice. This ensures that you are aware of the level of service you can expect from your Celebrant.

Monday 17 September 2007

Special offer for newly authorised Celebrants

Congratulations to all those Celebrants who have received their official authorisation from the Attorney-General. It's an exciting time for you as you move in to this new area of being a Marriage Celebrant.

I invite you to consider promoting your services via Celebrants Online, NSWCelebrants Online, QLDCelebrants Online. Join now, pay the 2008 subscription fee, and save yourself the fee for the remainder of this year.

Some of you have been eagerly awaiting this time for a number of years. Others have only relatively recently completed their Celebrancy qualification. Whether you've been waiting for a long or short while, the moment is now here!

As a newly authorised Marriage Celebrant you will no doubt be thinking about promoting your services to potential clients. Investigating the available options is a good first step. Do some research on the web, discover websites of other Marriage Celebrants, work out for your self what looks good and what appeals to you, then think about how you can create your own presence and style.

You might like to sign up for a hosted web page on Celebrants Online or its sister sites. Celebrants Online ranks highly in Google and other search engine results, and is included on many other wedding-related websites around the web.